UC Davis Geology Department

Degrees Courses Lower Division Upper Division Clubs

For the geology of Davis itself see Geology.

The UC Davis Geology Department is part of the College of Letters and Science and has diverse faculty researching and teaching many different facets of geology. Important leaders in the Geological world have worked out of UC Davis and they include Eldridge Moores (emeritus; famous structural geologist) and Howard Day. The department focuses heavily on field experience and mapping.

In the first week of September 2009 the geology department began moving to the new Earth and Physical Sciences Building from the then Physics/Geology building. According to an email from the department, the department's office moved on September 14th to 2119C.

Note on website Due to budget cuts, the geology department website may be shutdown as it is hosted on its own server and is not without cost. Because of that, the geology department is currently embracing SmartSite for class use. It is unknown how the department will reach out to the world using formal UC Davis web servers, particularly since department information currently available on such servers are pretty barren. Perhaps the department's website will move to such servers but access will not be as readily available.

Degrees

The Geology Department offers BA, BS, MS and PhD degrees in Geology as well as minors including:

• Geology
  

• Geochemistry
  

• Geophysics
  

• Engineering Geology
  

• Environmental Geology
  

• Oceanography
  

• Paleobiology

The department also offers a BS in Natural Sciences, a scientifically broad degree designed for people who want to be science teachers.

Courses

Geology courses use the GEL prefix. Here are some of the courses in the department. Most of these are major required for more info check out the department site.

There are two informal "tracks" to be taken, each requiring one year (or one total if you're insane).

Petrology: 60+62 (Fall) => 105 (Winter) => 106 (Spring)

Structure: 50 (previous year) => 100 (Fall) => 101 (Winter) => 103 (Spring) => 110 (Summer)

Lower Division

The Geology Department rocks Picnic Day!

Geology 1-The Earth (All Quarters)

• 3 hour Lecture
  

• This is the basic intro class to geology, it covers a broad variety of topics but not in much depth. Good class to just take to check out the department.

Geology 3-History of Life (Winter Quarter)

• 3 hour lecture
  

• A good intro to the development of life on this planet covers the various genera and various ideeas about the mechanisms of evolution to cause morphology.
  

• GEL 3L is the 3 hour lab component of this class. If you are a geology major, you HAVE to take it. Lots of drawing of fossils.
  

• GEL 3G is the 1 hour discussion component and what you need to take to get GE Credit.

Geology 35-Rivers (Spring Quarter)

• 3 hour lecture
  

• Goes over the processes found in rivers and their formation and movement. This class has several optional river rafting field trips that are for some the best reason for this class.

Geology 50-Physical Geology (Fall and Winter Quarters)

• 3 hour lecture
  

• This is the entry level class for geology majors, more in depth than GEL001, but an interesting and sometimes fun class. Optional field trip.
  

• There is an optional 3 hour lab that is required for majors (which also makes the field trip mandatory).

Geology 60-Earth Materials (Fall Quarter)

• 3 hours lecture and 3 hour lab
  

• This is entry level mineralogy. A rather technical overview of how and why minerals form. This includes basic crystallography, crystal chemistry, physical properties of minerals, identifying minerals within the standard categories, the use of X-ray defraction, and more.

Geology 62-Introduction to Optical Mineralogy (Fall Quarter)

• 1 hour lecture and 3 hour lab
  

• Companion Course to GEL060. This is where you learn how to use a Polarizing Petrographic Microscope to identify minerals in thin section. At its most basic level, it is how polarized, cross-polarized, and non-polarized (plain) light interacts with samples. Take concurrently with GEL060, or you are stuck waiting until next year. Love it or hate it, learn it if you want to do well in this major, the petrology classes hinge on your ability identify minerals with the microscope.

Upper Division

Geology 100-Structure (Fall Quarter)

• 3 hour lecture and 2 3-hour labs
  

• The upper div follow-up to GEL050. Emphasis on broad scale geologic processes that control mountain building, continent deformation, and crustal properties.
  

• Ridiculously hard.
  

• Several trips to the Bay Area (Antioch and such) for mapping Black Diamond (pre-2004). 2004 and later classes have ventured as far as Nevada for mapping.

Geology 101-Tectonics (Winter Quarter)

• 3 hour lecture and 2 3-hour labs
  

• Continuation of the structure series. Works with more large scale structures as well as stress and strain.
  

• Pretty hard.
  

• The lab has several field trips to map in locations outside of the valley.

Geology 103-Spring Field (Spring Quarter)

• 3 hour lecture on Fridays
  

• Three all-weekend field trips. One to Potrero Hills north of Antioch, one to Little Poleta (Bishop, CA), and the last to a varying location in the Sierra Nevada.
  

• Most enjoyed of all the mapping classes. The prof and TA's are all very helpful and a blast to spend a weekend with in the field.
  

• Mapping projects need to be produced in Illustrator, meaning that there is a large time committment to create a quality final product.

Geology 105-Igneous Petrology (Winter Quarter)

• 2 hour lecture and 2 3-hour labs
  

• Follow-up to GEL060. Introduction to the creation of rocks by volcanism and plutonism.
  

• The lab is the hardest portion of the class, requiring a large amount of extra time to finish the "in-lab" assignments.
  

• The class AND lab both have midterms and finals, totally overkill considering that the tests are a minimum of two hours each.
  

• Learn to love/hate the Polarizing Petrographic Microscope.

Geology 106-Metamorphic Petrology (Spring Quarter)

• 2 hour lecture and 2 3-hour labs
  

• Continuation of the petrology series. Introduction to the alteration of rocks by heat and pressure.
  

• Lab is again the hardest portion of the class, requiring a large amount of extra time to finish the "in-lab" assignments.
  

• Only one midterm in both the lab and class.
  

• Still loving/hating the Polarizing Petrographic Microscope.

Geology 107-Paleobiology (Fall and Spring Quarters)

• 3 Hour Lecture
  

• Very similar in subject matter to GEL 3, but with more in depth detail about particular concepts.
  

• There is an optional 6 hour lab (GEL 107L) that is required for majors. More sketching of fossils

Geology 108-Paleoclimates (Spring Quarter)

Geology 109-Sediments and Strata (Winter Quarter)

• 2 Hour Lecture
  

• Take with GEL 109L, 6 hours lab if it is your major or you need GE credit.

Geology 110-Summer Field Geology (Summer)

• Six week, 8 unit course based at White Mountain Research Station outside of Bishop, CA.
  

• Intensive field work in varying disciplines including Structure, Volcanology, and Geophysics.
  

• Physically demanding course since it is strictly fieldwork in the summer in the desert.
  

• Historically starts with a 10-day mapping project of the Poleta Folds.
  

• Typically only taken by students working towards their BS since it is required for the degree.

Geology 146 - Isotopic Geochemistry (Fall, alternate years, last offered 2009)

• 3 Hour Lecture
  

• Generally taken as an elective by undergraduates and graduate students.
  

• Explores the principles of nuclear physics as applied to geological problems. Isotopes can be used to date rocks or even be used as tracers to explore geological and environmental change (such as climate change). The class takes a look at many different isotope systems such as ²³⁸U/²³⁵U. It definitely requires basic knowledge of calculus and chemistry. Elementary nuclear physics as explored in lower division physics coursework (Physics 9D) is definitely a plus.

Clubs

• Geology Club. This student club offer barbecues, movie nights, trivia nights, trips, and more. See their website for additional details.

• Oceanography Club. This student club supports those with interest in the subject (or minoring) with trips and other activities. See their website.